Infant garment system

ABSTRACT

An improved infant garment formed from ventral and dorsal panel portions that are attached at the shoulder to a collar and that include outwardly extending sleeves. The ventral and dorsal sleeve portions incorporate respective seam edges, which are releasably joined to establish an easy donning and removal configuration. Parents can thus more easily remove and replace the infant garment when threading the limbs of a delicate and or writhing newborn into and out of the sleeves of the garment. In various alternative configurations, the improved infant garment is also adapted with the traditional front opening seam for appearance purposes only, and or for added functional benefit. In yet other various modifications, the posterior edge of the improved garment can be adapted to releasably attach to trousers, and to alternatively extend posteriorly beyond the legs to enable the bottom edge to be completely closed about the feet of the infant.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention incorporates various fields of technology and is specifically configured in specific embodiments to improve the state of the art of the infant garment industry, including for purposes of example but not for purposes of limitation, the easy donning and removal infant apparel and related fields.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Parents have long been tasked with adorning their infant children with clothing and apparel repetitively each day. While the paradigms and technology for designing and manufacturing such apparel has remained largely unchanged for some time, more than one attempt has been made to improve the state of the art. Some efforts have sought better materials that are easier to clean. Other efforts were aimed at improved manufacturing methods. Still others' activities were directed towards improving the functionality and appearance of infant and child garments and apparel. The instant invention is mostly relevant to the latter category.

This category of improved functionality and appearance has included a number of attempts that were limited to improving the appearance and or ease with which an infant can be adorned with such garments and apparel. One such effort is documented in U.S. Pat. No. 5,621,917 to Howsden, which is limited to a sack-type infant care garment adapted with many gaps to improve ease of use with neonatal infants. In its various forms, the '917 Howsden garment is limited primarily to use in controlled, neonatal care environments. In these limited circumstances where temperature is often closely controlled, the garment incorporates hook and loop fasteners positioned with gaps there between, which creates interstices that can create drafts of air as the infant moves about within the Howsden '917 garment.

Other prior attempts such as U.S. Pat. No. Des. 364,725 to Farnsworth are adapted for more aesthetic purposes and in a two-piece shirt and pant configuration. Still others include more conventional shirt and pants arrangements such as those described by Turney in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 465,316. Both adaptations must be adorned and removed through conventional methods: the upper portion is pulled over the head, the arms and legs are threaded into the sleeves and pant legs.

Various unitary garment designs have also seen variations in recent years and include infant overalls such as that illustrated by Knoefel in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 438,364. Less conventional child garment designs have also been subjected to change as can be understood with review of U.S. Pat. No. 400,688 to Federspiel, which appears to be restricted to an infant garment that is possibly used only for purposes of bathing, cleaning, and or changing the clothes of the infant. While the Knoefel '364 overalls offer little improvement over previous attempts in the way of ease of use, the Federspiel '688 garment has only limited use and is not adapted to be worn for extended periods of time.

As those having skill in the relevant arts may be able to comprehend, the prior art infant clothing articles have many shortcomings in their individual respects. For example, the Howsden '917 garment will not have utility outside controlled neonatal care environments in view of more comfortable and less drafty alternatives. The Farnsworth '725 and Turney '316 garments offer little in the way of improved removal and replacement on infants.

Despite many different designs and myriad attempts at advancing certain aspects of the state of the art of infant clothing, apparel, and garments, what has continued to be needed but ignored in the industry and fields of art of infant garments is the fact that it is often difficult, inconvenient, and challenging to change, adorn, and remove the clothing of an infant. These problems are even more pronounced today, when parents are constantly on the move to meet the many multi-tasking demands of parenting, which can daily include food shopping, healthcare visits, schooling, out-of-home childcare, social visits, and the need to travel about with an infant according to schedules and demands of other children in the family.

All the while, most infants continue to require changes of diapers and clothing many times a day, often while out of the home and usually in the most inconvenient of places including in an automotive child car seat, a public restroom, the home of someone who does not have any of the child care amenities such as a changing table, or outside at a ballpark while attending a game of an older sibling.

What has continued to be needed in these circumstances, but completely unavailable, is an improved infant garment that is easier to adorn and remove from an infant, but which can be adapted for use with the plethora of infant garment, apparel, and clothing designs and articles. Additionally, the preferred improvements are most desirably configured to be incorporated into summer, spring, fall, winter, and indoor and outdoor infant clothing articles. Even more importantly, the improved garment should overcome the shortcomings experienced in having to very carefully thread the often wildly waving arms and legs of infants into the narrow confines of the sleeves and pant legs of present day infant garments, such as those described in the noted prior art.

An improved infant garment technology that can be of more utility in adorning, removing, and changing the soiled clothes of infants in even the most inconvenient of places would be most preferred, especially if such technology can be incorporated into the most desirable fashions more often preferred by parents. Such an improved technology would be more readily accepted and of preferred utility if it could be used in circumstances that include having to effect an immediate change of soiled clothes in an automotive car seat as well as other equally inconvenient locations. These desirable improvements should be especially focused on improved ease of use but should also avoid injecting any economically unviable increased costs, and should not unduly complicate the manufacturing process or create any impediments to incorporation with the most preferred aesthetically pleasing and fashionable designs for infant wear.

The instant invention and its many possible alternative preferred embodiments are specifically directed to overcoming the many shortcomings of the prior art that persist, while vastly improving ease of use. This is accomplished without any undue increases in the cost to manufacture. Further, the improvements contemplated by the instant invention are easily adapted for use with all previous infant apparel and garments without any adverse impact or consequence to the design, manufacture, and utility of legacy clothing articles.

In particular, the instant invention and its various embodiments contemplate configurations that are suitable for use with indoor and outdoor seasonal wear and that be of considerably improved utility and functionality in a variety of settings and circumstances. The instant invention accomplishes its new and novel improvements in the state of the art, without unacceptable modification to the presently acceptable manufacturing, use, and life cycle costs, and without increased difficulties in the adorning, removal, and changing of such infant garments and apparel.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

In its most general configuration, the present invention addresses the problems in the art and advances the state of the relevant technology with a variety of new features and capabilities that markedly improve traditional infant garments. Although the instant invention is discussed and illustrated in the context of an upper body jacket type of garment, the invention extends to full body and lower body garments, which can suffer from the same short comings of prior art garments that are difficult to adorn on the delicate and writhing limbs of newborns and young infants.

With the implementation of the instant invention, parents and childcare workers can more easily adorn and remove clothing from their children and charges even with very fragile newborn bodies, and as the target moves continuously with excitement. In one of its many preferred configurations, an improved infant garment includes ventral and dorsal panel portions that are attached at the shoulder to a collar and which have outwardly extending sleeves.

The ventral and dorsal sleeve portions preferably include respective seam edges, which are releasably joined to establish an easily donned configuration that can also be removed with much less effort and attention than with legacy garment configurations. In this way, parents can quickly remove and replace the infant garment with a reduced set of challenges than is usually experienced with traditionally more cumbersome garments.

In the many possible alternative and preferred configurations, the improved infant garment may be further reconfigured to incorporate the traditional front opening seam that releasably joins the right and left, or dextral and sinistral front or ventral portions. This embodiment can be either for appearance purposes only, and or for added functional use.

The preferred embodiments of the instant invention also contemplate further modified configurations wherein the posterior edge or waist proximate edge of the improved garment can be adapted to releasably attach to trousers. In the alternative or even more preferably, the posterior edge or edges can be adapted to be longer than usual and to extend posteriorly below the legs and feet. In this arrangement, the bottom edge can then be partially or completely closed about the legs and feet of the infant for further comfort, warmth, or preference.

The preferred and alternatively preferred embodiments according to the principles of the invention may also incorporate a dorsal panel portion that is made with a dorsal posterior or lower or waist edge, and an opposite and anterior collar and shoulder portion. Oppositely extending dorsal sleeve elements are also preferably included, which terminate in cuffs distally from the shoulder portion. Further, the opposite dorsal sleeve elements each extend to and are defined with a dorsal seam edge.

In alternative arrangements and modifications to any of the preferred and optional embodiments according to the principles of the instant invention, the distal cuffs may be formed from unitary elastic-type materials. Additionally, instead of unitary cuffs joined to the distal ends of the sleeves, the cuffs may be alternatively formed by the material of the sleeve portions once the dorsal and ventral sleeves are joined at the under arm access seam, which upon joining thereby forms the cuff at the distal edge of the sleeve.

Similarly, the preferred and modified embodiments of the improved garment also include a ventral panel portion that is joined and or releasably joinable to the anterior collar and shoulder portion. The ventral panel portion is also formed with a posterior ventral edge and oppositely extending ventral sleeve elements that each are defined with and extend to a ventral seam edge. This arrangement contemplates that the dorsal and ventral seam edges are preferably adapted to be releasably fastened together to thereby, when fastened, form an under arm access seam, which is typically joined and closed when the garment is adorned about an infant.

In any of the preferred and varied versions of the inventive garment, the ventral or front panel portion can be adapted with a releasable ventral, medial seam that extends proximately from the anterior or upper collar to the lower posterior ventral edge. This releasable medial seam can be further modified with at least one releasable fastener, such as a plastic zipper-like strip of parallel rows, a metal zipper, buttons, hook and loop fasteners, and similar devices. Additionally, the optional or preferred releasable medial seam can be purely decorative and or entirely functional as may be desired.

The under arm access seam is also optionally capable of being releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements that are preferably or optionally as simple as parallel rows of hook and loop or zip-lock-bag-type fasteners, and or more traditional zippers that use slidable tabs and or tab elements to interlock and separate the zipper elements. Additionally preferred or optionally desirable under arm seam configurations are also contemplated wherein the seam is joined with a plurality of spaced apart fasteners that can include, among other conventional possibilities known to those skilled in the art, buttons, snaps, metal wire hooks and loops, and or all of which can be used in conjunction with or in place of previously described fastening elements.

In yet further variations to any of the preferred embodiments described herein and contemplated by the principles of the invention, the distal cuffs may be further adapted and modified to incorporate or otherwise define a releasable seam that is substantially or generally aligned with the under arm access seam. This possibly preferred embodiment can be useful in applications where it is desired to further increase the ease with which the improved garment invention can be adorned about the limbs of newborn and premature infants who are particularly delicate during their first many months after birth.

The instant invention also contemplates various further modifications to the myriad preferred embodiments wherein the posterior edges of the dorsal and ventral panel portions are preferably or optionally further configured with at least one releasable fastener or a series or plurality of fasteners, or rows of parallel interlocking elements, which are configured to join the improved infant garment to a posteriorly donned garment. The posteriorly donned garment can include, among other possibilities, a pair of trousers, and sack-like wrap-around blanket, a skirt like bottom portion, or other type of posteriorly donned garment.

These variations, modifications, and alterations of the various preferred and optional embodiments may be used either alone or in combination with one another and with the features and elements already known in the prior herein described, which can be better understood by those with relevant skills in the art with reference to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Without limiting the scope of the present invention as claimed below and referring now to the drawings and figures, wherein like reference numerals, and like numerals with primes, across the several drawings, figures, and views refer to identical, corresponding, or equivalent elements, components, features, and parts:

FIG. 1 is a front or ventral plan view, in modified scale, of one possible preferred embodiment of the preferred and improved infant garment according to the principles of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a generally rear or dorsal plan view, in modified scale and rotated, of the improved infant garment embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are respectively right (dextral) and left (sinistral) plan views, in modified scale and rotated, of the improved infant garment of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 5 is front-left or ventral-sinistral isometric view, in modified scale and rotated, of the infant garment of FIGS. 1 through 4, with an under arm access seam partially separated or disengaged and with a front or ventral panel partially re-positioned in a ventral-anterior direction and partially disconnected from a rear or dorsal panel being so rearranged for purposes of illustrating additional features and elements of the preferred improved infant garment according to the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is also a ventral or front isometric view in similar scale of the preferred embodiment of FIG. 5, being further rearranged with the under arm access seam being separated and the front, ventral panel being further re-arranged into an anterior position away from the dorsal, rear panel for purposes of further illustration; and

FIG. 7 is another posteriorly looking, ventral, front isometric view in modified scale, of the preferred embodiments of the improved infant garment of FIGS. 1 through 6, and being further illustratively rearranged with the ventral, front panel completely separated from the dorsal, rear panel, and with a releasable ventral, front, medial seam being separated and or disconnected for further demonstration of the features of the instant invention, wherein dextral and sinistral ventral portions are further separable for added convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a wide range of possible embodiments and modifications and variations thereof, the heretofore-unavailable preferred and optional embodiments of the infant garment according to the principles of the instant invention are denoted in general in the various drawings and illustrations by reference numeral 100. Those having any degree of skill in the art of infant wear and infant garments and apparel, should be able to understand and appreciate that a variety of possible new and novel infant compatible garments are contemplated and possible in light of the innovative configurations described herein.

If appropriately skilled in the related fields of garment and apparel technology and art, interested individuals may be able to readily comprehend, with reference now to the various figures including FIGS. 1 through 7, that the instant, improved infant garment 100 includes a ventral panel portion 110 and a dorsal panel portion 120, which are attached at a shoulder 130 to a collar 140. Also connected proximate thereto are outwardly extending sleeve portions, which include a ventral-dextral sleeve portion 150, a ventral-sinistral sleeve portion 155, a dorsal-dextral sleeve portion 160, and a dorsal-sinistral sleeve portion 165.

The ventral and dorsal sleeve portions 150, 155, 160, 165 preferably also are adapted with respective seam edges 170, 175, 180, 185. More specifically, the respective ventral and dorsal, dextral and sinistral sleeve portions 150, 155, 160, 165 are defined with respective ventral-dextral sleeve respective seam edge 170, ventral-sinistral sleeve respective seam edge 175, dorsal-dextral sleeve respective seam edge 180, and dorsal-sinistral sleeve respective seam edge 185. The respective seam edges 170, 175, 180, 185 are preferable and optionally releasably joined to establish configuration that is more easily adorned on an infant and removed there from with far less of a challenge even when adorning newborns and fast-moving older infants.

In every instance, the joining of the under arm access seam edges 170, 175, 180, 185 form the described and respective under arm access seams as follows: the joining of the ventral-dextral sleeve seam edge 170 and the dorsal-dextral sleeve seam edge 180 forms the dextral under arm access seam 170, 180, and the joining of the ventral-sinistral sleeve seam edge 175 and the dorsal-sinistral sleeve seam edge 185 forms the sinistral under arm access seam 175, 185.

As those skilled in the relevant arts may be able to further appreciate with continued reference to the various figures, the improved infant garment 100 may be further reconfigured to incorporate a conventional and commonly used front opening seam 190. Optionally or even more preferably, the front or ventrally opening, generally medial seam 190 releasably joins the dextral and sinistral ventral portions 150, 155. Additionally, the optional or preferred front opening, and releasable medial seam 190 can be fixed and non-releasable and purely decorative, and or entirely functional as may be useful or desirable.

The preferred embodiments of the instant invention also contemplate further modified configurations wherein a posterior edge or waist proximate edge 200 of the improved garment 100 can be adapted to releasably attach to trousers or other lower body garment of apparel item (not shown, but contemplated to be those readily known to those practicing in the relevant arts).

In any of a number of possibly preferred and or alternative configurations, the posterior edge or edges 200 may be modified to extend posteriorly to the waist of the infant, or can be extended to extend further below the legs and feet of the infant for increased warmth, coverage, and comfort. In this possibly preferred variation, the bottom, posterior edge 200 is no longer termed a waist proximate edge, which may be further adapted to be partially or completely closed about the legs and feet of the infant.

With continuing reference to the various figures, including especially FIGS. 5 and 6, the various preferred or alternative embodiments of the infant garment 100 may include the previously described dorsal panel portion 120 that may further incorporate a respective dorsal posterior or lower or waist edge 210. The dorsal posterior or lower or waist edge 210 in the most typically contemplated embodiments will be generally aligned with and form a dorsal or rear part of the posterior edge 200 when the ventral and dorsal panel portions 110, 120 are joined together as previously described. Opposite to the dorsal or rear part of the posterior edge 200, the rear or dorsal panel portion 120 is integrally joined with the collar 140 and shoulder 130.

Extending oppositely and outwardly from the shoulder portion 130 of both the ventral and dorsal panel portions 110 and 120, ventral and dorsal, dextral and sinistral sleeve portions or elements 150, 155, 160, 165 are also preferably included, which terminate in respective dextral and sinistral cuffs 220, 230 distally from the shoulder portion 130. Those knowledgeable in the relevant arts may continue to reference the embodiments disclosed herein and the accompanying FIGS. 1 through 7 and come to further appreciate that the instant invention is also directed to modified variations wherein the distal cuffs 220, 230 may be formed from unitary elastic-type materials.

In the alternative, the cuffs 220, 230 may also be preferably or alternatively formed by the material of the ventral and dorsal, dextral and sinistral sleeve portions 150, 155, 160, 165, wherein the dorsal and ventral sleeve portions 150, 155, 160, 165 are joined at the respective dextral under arm access seam 170, 180 and the sinistral under arm access seam 175, 185, which thereby further forms the cuffs 220, 230 at the further distal edge or ends of the respective dextral sleeve 150, 160 and sinistral sleeve 155, 165.

Other variations to any of the preferred and option embodiments may further incorporate changes wherein the distal cuffs 220, 230 are further varied to include or define a dextral releasable cuff seam 240 and a sinistral releasable cuff seam 245 (see FIG. 7). Even more preferably, the dextral and sinistral releasable cuff seams 240, 245 are substantially or generally aligned with the respective under arm access seams 170, 180 (dextral) and 175, 185 (sinistral).

In any of the various embodiments of the novel and improved infant garment 100, the variously described releasable seams can be further modified with at least one releasable fastener. Although not shown, those skilled in the related arts known that this contemplated releasable fastener can be a plastic zipper-like strip of parallel rows, a metal zipper, buttons 250 (FIGS. 1, 5, 7), hook and loop fasteners, and similar devices.

In any of the variations where zipper type releasable fasteners are preferred, traditional plastic or metals zippers may be incorporated that use slidable tabs and or tab elements 260 to interlock and separate the parallel rows of interlocking zipper elements. Although not shown in detail in the various illustrations, the various arm seam configurations are also directed to variations wherein the described releasable seams are joined with a plurality of spaced apart fasteners.

Such spaced apart fasteners can include, among other conventional possibilities known to those skilled in the art, buttons, snaps, metal wire hooks and loops, and or all of which can be used in conjunction with or in place of previously described releasable fastening elements. Such alternative configurations can also be incorporated into the optional or preferred embodiments of the garment invention 100 that are directed to the embodiments that include the described posterior edges 200, 210 of the dorsal and ventral panel portions 120, 110. In this configuration, the posterior edges 200, 210 are preferably or optionally further configured with at least one releasable fastener or a series or plurality of fasteners, or rows of parallel interlocking elements, which are configured to create a seam between and join the improved infant garment 100 to a posteriorly donned garment (not shown in the figures). The posteriorly donned garment can include, among other possibilities, a pair of trousers, and sack-like wrap-around blanket, a skirt like bottom portion, or other type of posteriorly donned garment.

Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein may, depending upon their skill and experience, be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the instant invention, which is limited only by the following claims. For example, although specific embodiments have been described in detail, those with skill in the art can usually comprehend that the preceding embodiments and alternative arrangements can be modified to incorporate various types of substitute and/or additional materials, components, relative arrangements of components, features, elements, and dimensional configurations.

Such modifications and alternative arrangements may be further preferred and or optionally desirable to establish compatibility with the wide variety of possible applications that are susceptible for use with the inventive improved infant garment according to the principles of the instant invention. Accordingly, even though only few such embodiments, alternatives, variations, and modifications of the present invention are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims. 

1. An improved infant garment, comprising: a dorsal panel portion formed with a dorsal posterior edge and an opposite and anterior collar and shoulder portion formed with opposite dorsal sleeve elements each terminating with distal cuffs, the dorsal sleeve elements each extending to a dorsal seam edge; a ventral panel portion joined to the anterior collar and shoulder portion and formed with a posterior ventral edge and opposite ventral sleeve elements each extending to a ventral seam edge; and wherein the dorsal and ventral seam edges are adapted to be releasably fastened together to form an under arm access seam.
 2. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the ventral panel portion defines a releasable medial seam extending proximately from the anterior collar to the posterior ventral edge, the releasable medial seam being adapted with at least one releasable fastener.
 3. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements.
 4. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements joined together with respective slidable tab elements.
 5. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of hook and loop fasteners.
 6. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the under arm access seam is joined with a plurality of spaced apart releasable fasteners.
 7. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the distal cuffs further define a releasable seam generally aligned with the under arm access seam.
 8. The improved infant garment according to claim 1, wherein the posterior edges of the dorsal and ventral panel portions are further adapted with at least one releasable fastener configured to join the improved infant garment to a posteriorly donned garment.
 9. An improved infant garment, comprising: ventral and dorsal panel portions each joined to an anterior collar and shoulder portion, each panel portion also formed with respective posterior edges and laterally opposite respective sleeve elements; wherein the sleeve element of the ventral panel portion extends to a ventral seam edge; wherein the sleeve element of the dorsal panel portion extends to a dorsal seam edge; and wherein the dorsal and ventral seam edges are adapted to be releasably fastened together to form an under arm access seam and to thereby define opposite sleeves terminating with distal cuffs.
 10. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the ventral panel portion defines a releasable medial seam extending proximately from the anterior collar to the posterior ventral edge, the releasable medial seam being adapted with at least one releasable fastener.
 11. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements.
 12. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements joined together with respective slidable tab elements.
 13. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of hook and loop fasteners.
 14. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the under arm access seam is joined with a plurality of spaced apart releasable fasteners.
 15. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the respective posterior edges further incorporate at least one fastener positioned and configured to releasably join the posterior edges in a closure arrangement.
 16. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the posterior edges of the dorsal and ventral panel portions are further adapted with at least one releasable fastener configured to join the improved infant garment to a posteriorly donned garment.
 17. An improved infant garment, comprising: ventral and dorsal portions each joined to an integral anterior collar and shoulder portion, each panel portion also formed with respective posterior edges and laterally oppositely extending sleeve elements, the ventral portion defining a sagittal and posteriorly extending releasable seam medially positioned to establish apposed dextral and sinistral sections; wherein the sleeve element of the ventral panel portion is formed with a ventral seam edge; wherein the sleeve element of the dorsal panel portion is formed with a dorsal seam edge; and wherein the dorsal and ventral seam edges are adapted to be releasably fastened together to form an under arm access seam and to thereby define opposite sleeves terminating with distal cuffs.
 18. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the under arm access seam is releasably joined with parallel rows of interlocking edge elements.
 19. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the respective posterior edges further incorporate at least one fastener positioned and configured to releasably join the posterior edges in a closure arrangement.
 20. The improved infant garment according to claim 9, wherein the posterior edges of the dorsal and ventral panel portions are further adapted with at least one releasable fastener configured to join the improved infant garment to a posteriorly donned garment. 